Mapping COVID-19 cases in Observable with Vega-Lite

Choropleth maps show how data varies across a geographic region, a visualization technique used often to present a wide variety of data, including economic data, election results and, more recently, the prevalence of COVID-19 cases and deaths. I recently created a choropleth map that pulls live county-level COVID-19 case data from the Missouri Department of … Continued

Scrappy hacks for scrappy visual journalists

As far as I can tell, the Internet is mostly duct-taped together. And why should visual journalism be any different? In a world of flashy D3.js wrappers and React components and the like, sometimes you just need a chart—and you need it as quickly as possible. In other words, you don’t need interactivity; you need … Continued

Short Takes: How data uncovered great stories

Who said there would be math? In a field that can attract mathematically challenged individuals, data has become an essential tool for journalists. During the 2019 spring semester, student producers behind Gray Television’s OTT show “Post” showcased 20 pieces of journalism, most of which would not be possible without data.